Horse-detacher.



O. F. BROWN. HORSE DETAGHER. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 31, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19,1911.

I MM {PM W WW s'OLUMBlA iMNuunArn ORLOW F. BROWN, 0F LEXINGTON,MICHIGAN.

HORSE-DETACHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 31, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911. Serial No. 552,535.

i To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, citizen of the United Lexington, county of Sanilac,State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inI-Iorse-Detachers, and declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, such as willenable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to horse detachers.

It has for its object an improved con struction and arrangement of adevice to release a horse from the thills of a vehicle whenever suchrelease is desired.

The device as a whole comprises means for securing the tugs to thewhiifletree and means for securing the holdback straps to the thills,and means for detaching the tugs from the whiffletree; the holdbackstraps are thereupon automatically released. The release is effected bysimultaneously releasing both tugs from the whiflletree, and to the endthat they may be simultaneously released each tug is attached to awhi'ffietree hook, which is more similar to a buckle than the ordinarywhifHetree hook, and the release is effected by withdrawing the tongueof the buckle from a hole in the tug. After the tug has been loosened sothat the further forward movement of the horse will pull the tug fromits engagement with the whitlietree, the holdback straps automaticallydisengage by pulling forward oif from a hook by means of which they wereengaged to the thills, and the horse is free to walk out from betweenthe thills.

While I have stated that the device which secures the tugs to thewhiffletree is more properly to be compared to a buckle than theordinary whiflietree hook, I shall mention this device hereinafter as ahook or tug-guide, and mention that part of the device which is movableand which is to be compared to the tongue of a buckle as the catch ofthe hook.

In the drawings :-Figure 1, indicates the relation of the several partsto the thills. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the whifiletree with theattached hooks or tug-guides. It indicates the tugs in position withrespect to the hooks. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail of ORLOW F. BROWN, aStates, residing at a whiflletree hook or tug-guide, partly in section.

It requires the coaction of both parts to produce the full release ofthe horse from the whiffietree, as it is necessary for both parts, thatis the tugs and the holdback, to be connected to the thills and thewhiflletree in order to make a complete working connection between thehorse and the vehicle. The whiflletree 1 may be of any ordinaryconstruction, so far as the tree part of it is concerned. On each end ofthe tree is the connecting device consisting of a hook or tug-guide 2that is or may be secured to the whiflletree body in any suitable way,preferably by the cheek members 4. which are fastened thereon, part ofeach of which engages above the body of the whiflletree and the otherbelow, and the cheek members are connected by cross bars 5 and 6, ofwhich the cross bar 5 is arranged to be brought near the end of theWhiflletree body and the cross bar 6 at some little distance back fromthe end of the whiffletree body. The cross bar 6 is provided with a holethrough which the catch or tongue 7 en gages. Both the bars 5 and 6 arearranged at the rear of the whiflletree body at a distance sufficient toallow the tug 8 to engage easily between the bars and the whiffletreebody. The tug is provided with holes through which the gages. A thirdcross bar 9 unites the cheek members 4 at a considerable distancefarther back from the whiflletree body than the cross bar or fulcrumguide 6. This acts as a fulcrum bar to enable the catch or tongue 7 tobe withdrawn from engagement with the tug. The tongue or catch 7 is heldon the end of a spring member 10 that is secured to the whiflletree bodynear the middle thereof. The spring is limited in its movement betweenthe cross bar 9 and the cross bar 6 and carries at its end the catch ortongue 7, which is of such length that it never escapes fully from thecross bar 6 when the spring is pulled entirely back. A flexible strap 11is secured to the spring at the tongue end, passes over the fulcrumguide 9 under a guide ring 12 that is placed near the middle of thewhiflletree and is then attached to a draw strap 13 which is withinreach of the occupant of the vehicle. Generally the draw strap 13 hangsover the dash board. A similar arrangement of guide, ring, tongue,

tongue or catch 7 enspring and draw strap is used with the end let ofthe whiflletree so that both tongues or catches may be withdrawn fromthe two tugs simultaneously.

WVith each thill I employ an automatically releasing holdback hook inwhich the holdback strap 26 engages. A detailed description of thisautomatic holdback hook is not here given because an understanding ofits construction and operation is not necessary for a completeunderstanding of the whiffletree release.

In use the horse is secured to the vehicle by means of the tug holderswhich have been described and the holdbacks 26. Both the tugs and theholdbacks act in their usual way and with their usual efficiency, forthe usual purpose in the one case of drawing the vehicle forward, and inthe other of holding it back at times when the weight of the vehiclewould automatically carry it forward, as when the vehicle is passingdown some declivity. If, for any reason, it is desired to detach thehorse, as in case of the sudden breakage of any parts while the vehicleis in travel, or in case it is desired to detach the horse at thecessation of the use of the vehicle, the only requirement is that thestrap 13 be drawn backward with suflicient force to disengage thetongues or catches 7 from the whiffietree, and at once the horse, oncontinuing his forward movement, disengages the tugs from thewhilfletree, and the holdbacks from their retainers, and goes free fromthe thills.

lVhat I claim is A horse detacher, having in combination a whiffletree,a tug-guide yoked on the end thereof at the rear side and provided witha perforation, a fulcrum member rearwardly with reference to thewhiifletree, a guide ring near the middle portion of said whiffl'etre'e,a tongue normally engaging through the guide perforation, resilientmeans for holding said tongue in place therein, a tug engaging throughsaid tugguide and havlng a perforation registering with the perforationof said guide and a strap attached to said tongue and adapted topartially remove the same from the guide portion and permit the releaseof the tug, said strap being passed over the fulcrum through the saidguide ring and within convenient reach of the driver, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

ORLOW F. BROWN.

Witnesses CHARLES F. BURTON, WILLIAM M. SWAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

extending

